Improvement in carriage-tops



UNITED STATES PATnnT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. DEARBORN, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARRIAGE-TOPS.

Speoication forming part of Letters Patent No. 144,069, dated October 28, 1873; application tiled July 19, 1ers.

following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation ofthe same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the `letters and figures of reference marked there- Figure l of the drawings is a representation oi' a side view of a carriage-top containing my invention. Figui). is a front view ot' the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my invention.

This invention has relation to the construction of buggy-tops; and it consists in the introduction and novel arrangement, under the covering leather and upon the bows, of the curved sheet metal corner linings, whereby all unsightly sagging of the top between the bows is obviated, and its durabilityT materially increased.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A indicates the ordinary bows of a buggy-top, designed to fold backward. B represents the sheet metal corner-pieces having a longitudinal curvature corresponding with the radius of the top, and a transverse curvature similar to that of the corners of the bows, which are usually well rounded.

lf the top is not designed to fold, the cornerpiece for each side may be made entire, or of s)ections, rigidly secured together, or to the ows.

When the top is designed to fold, as illustrated in the drawings, the sections are arranged to slide one within the other.

Of the two sections forming each corner piece, aas illustrated, the rear section a is the shortest, and the forward section a' of about double its length. In securing these to the bows, it is preferred to fasten the longest section a by both of its ends, while the short one a, designed to slide over the other, is secured by one end; but this method of attachment may be varied in many ways Well known to those skilled in the art.

With these corner-plates there is no neces sity for the employment of the ordinary hair stuffing or lining, except when required for warmth. The top will preserve its true curvature at all times and under careless treatment, being never liable to sag down between the bows.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The sheet metal corner-plates B, for buggytops, having a longitudinal curvature corresponding with the radius of the top, and a transverse curvature fitting the rounded. corners of the bows, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. DEARBORN.

Witnesses H. M. KNowLToN, WM. A. ELDER. 

